Pull-Up Calorie Calculator — Calories Burned Doing Pull-Ups
Calculate how many calories pull-ups and chin-ups burn based on your body weight, total reps, and pace. Uses MET 8.0 from the Compendium of Physical Activities for vigorous calisthenics.
By Jonas Lindemann · Updated · How we build our calculators
5–10 reps
20–50 reps
100+ reps
Vigorous Calisthenics
MET Value: 8 — Pull-Up
Pull-ups and chin-ups are classified as vigorous calisthenics in the Compendium of Physical Activities (code 02050)
31kcal
Calories Burned
1.56kcal
Per Rep
3.3min
Est. Active Time
8MET
Metabolic Equivalent
Exercise: Pull-Up at moderate pace
Compound pulling movement targeting lats, biceps, and core
This is approximately 1.56% of a 2000 kcal daily diet.
Note: Calorie estimate is based on active rep time only — rest periods between sets are excluded. Actual burn depends on grip style, full vs. partial ROM, and individual body composition. Accuracy: ±25–35%.
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About the Pull-Up Calorie Calculator
Learn more about the calculator and its creator
Jonas
Pull-ups are a cornerstone of calisthenics training. I built this calculator to help athletes accurately track the calorie burn from one of the most effective upper-body exercises.
Pull-ups burn approximately 1.0–1.6 calories per rep for a 70 kg person, depending on pace and grip style. At a moderate pace of 6 reps per minute, 10 pull-ups burns roughly 13 calories; 100 pull-ups burns around 130 calories. Your exact burn depends on body weight, rep speed, and exercise type.
Calories Burned by Pull-Up Count and Body Weight
The table below uses MET 8.0 (vigorous calisthenics) at a moderate pace of 6 reps per minute:
| Pull-Ups | 60 kg (132 lb) | 70 kg (154 lb) | 80 kg (176 lb) | 90 kg (198 lb) |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 pull-ups | 6.7 cal | 7.8 cal | 8.9 cal | 10.0 cal |
| 10 pull-ups | 13.3 cal | 15.6 cal | 17.8 cal | 20.0 cal |
| 20 pull-ups | 26.7 cal | 31.1 cal | 35.6 cal | 40.0 cal |
| 50 pull-ups | 66.7 cal | 77.8 cal | 88.9 cal | 100.0 cal |
| 100 pull-ups | 133 cal | 156 cal | 178 cal | 200 cal |
Calories Per Pull-Up by Body Weight
At a moderate pace of 6 reps per minute (MET 8.0):
| Body Weight | Cal/rep (Slow, 4/min) | Cal/rep (Moderate, 6/min) | Cal/rep (Fast, 10/min) |
|---|---|---|---|
| 60 kg (132 lb) | 2.00 cal | 1.33 cal | 0.80 cal |
| 70 kg (154 lb) | 2.33 cal | 1.56 cal | 0.93 cal |
| 80 kg (176 lb) | 2.67 cal | 1.78 cal | 1.07 cal |
| 90 kg (198 lb) | 3.00 cal | 2.00 cal | 1.20 cal |
How the Pull-Up Calorie Calculator Works
The calculator uses the MET (Metabolic Equivalent of Task) method from the Compendium of Physical Activities. Pull-ups and chin-ups are classified as vigorous calisthenics (code 02050, MET 8.0). The formula is:
Example Calculation
Scenario: 75 kg person doing 30 pull-ups at moderate pace (6/min)
1. Calculate active time: 30 reps ÷ 6 reps/min = 5 minutes = 0.0833 hours
2. Apply formula: 8.0 × 75 × 0.0833 = 50 calories
Pull-Ups vs. Chin-Ups: Same Calories?
Pull-ups (overhand grip) and chin-ups (underhand grip) have the same MET value of 8.0 — both qualify as vigorous calisthenics. While chin-ups recruit the biceps more and pull-ups emphasise the lats, the total energy expenditure at the same rep count and pace is virtually identical.
Related Tools & Guides
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Pull-Up Calorie Formula Explained
MET values, weight tables, and the math
Pull-Ups vs Chin-Ups Calories
Which grip burns more?
Frequently Asked Questions
10 pull-ups burn approximately 13–20 calories depending on body weight and pace. At a moderate pace (6 reps/min), a 60 kg person burns about 13 calories; a 70 kg person burns about 16 calories; an 80 kg person burns about 18 calories; a 90 kg person burns about 20 calories.
100 pull-ups burn approximately 133–200 calories depending on body weight. At a moderate pace, a 60 kg person burns around 133 calories; a 70 kg person burns about 156 calories; an 80 kg person burns about 178 calories; a 90 kg person burns about 200 calories.
One pull-up burns approximately 1.3–2.0 calories for most people. At a moderate pace of 6 reps per minute, a 70 kg person burns roughly 1.56 calories per pull-up. Slower reps burn more calories per rep; faster reps burn fewer per rep but more per minute.
Pull-ups (MET 8.0) burn significantly more calories per minute than push-ups (MET ~3.8–4.0) because they are a compound movement requiring vigorous effort to lift your entire body weight. In terms of calories per rep at the same pace, pull-ups burn roughly double what push-ups burn.
The MET value for pull-ups is 8.0 according to the Compendium of Physical Activities (code 02050, vigorous calisthenics). Chin-ups have the same MET value. Assisted pull-ups using a band or machine have a lower effective MET of approximately 5.0.
Chin-ups and pull-ups burn approximately the same calories at the same rep count and pace — both have a MET of 8.0 (vigorous calisthenics). The grip orientation changes which muscles are emphasised (biceps vs. lats) but not the overall energy expenditure significantly.